Closure
by EdelyneElric
Summary: "Nowadays, humans are forced to stay behind specially designed shields, trying to keep the akumas away. Innocence hasn't picked an exorcist in centuries. The Millenium Earl and the Noah family free to terrorize everyone. Everyone is hoping, waiting for a miracle to happen, for innocence to awaken once more and bring back the exorcists... maybe some day..."
1. A new hope

Hey there! I'm back (once again) with a new story I hope you enjoy it, any constructive criticism is welcomed.

Disclaimer: I don't own D gray man, just some of the characters you will see here and the plot, the rest goes to Katsura Hoshino!

**-Black Order**

A long time ago, a war started, one that would alter everything we knew. Akuma started to appear, demons, once someone's loved ones, killing people, starting a vicious circle. Centuries ago, innocence, the only thing capable of destroying the demons, chose warriors to protect humanity, they were called exorcists.

The Black Order was created to recruit and support the mentioned warriors. It was a long and difficult war, many stories have been told about it, we really don't know which ones to believe. The one thing we know for sure, it's that one day, innocence stopped choosing exorcists, and eventually, there were no more left alive to protect humanity.

They ended up having to rely on finders, humans trained to help exorcists during their missions. But there's only so much a finder can do, when faced with an akuma. The Millenium Earl and his Noah family were free to terrorize everyone.

Nowadays, humans are forced to stay behind specially designed force fields, trying to keep away the akuma. The Black Order soon founded an academy, recruiting anyone willing to become a finder, anyone willing to help preserve what was left of human race, hoping and waiting for some miracle to happen, for innocence to awaken once more and bring back exorcists… maybe… maybe that wait is finally over.

**-Black Order**

The world has faced a lot of changes since the war against akuma began, names of countries were forgotten as their habitants had to leave them and become one community in order to get effective protections against akuma. Each small village received a special academy, coordinated by the Black Order, where finders would be trained. The training to be a finder was hard, they needed to know a lot of stuff, not just about akumas and noahs, but about the different kinds of weapons and shield that could be used, the special care each one of those needed, and many other things.

It took time and effort, but it was all to get them ready to face akuma, so, nothing was useless. Isabel Ramirez, was the best student of the generation in every single subject during her first year at Rose Cross Academy. She became shunned due to her cold and sarcastic attitude towards her classmates, but she never seemed to care, after all, she didn't go there to make friends.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the first day of classes, she packed her things, ready to go back to the dorms, she dusted her uniform jacket, as though some kind of invisible dirt had gotten on it, and went through the hallways, listening to the meaningless chatter of the other students. When she passed the auditorium, she could hear the speech that was given to her, exactly one year ago, peeking through the doors, she could see the newest recruits, most wearing a happy and excited expression.

"We'll see how long they last…" she thought, without malice.

First year was usually one of the hardest. It was the year most of the recruits left. It consisted mostly on learning about the war with very explicit material, getting to know the different kinds of akuma, the effects of their poison, their classification, and making the newbies understand what they'd just gotten themselves into.

_-It's not a game_- she remembers her teacher telling them _– You're all laying your lives down, you're gonna be facing dangerous missions… and let me be very clear. Some of you might not even be able to complete training…- _

Isabel still remembered the first time she was allowed to see an akuma. She could still feel the chills, remembering the smell of rotten flesh, the agony reflected on its face, the creepy image engraved in her mind forever.

"How long are they gonna be able to keep smiling like that…?"- she thought to herself, as she got out of the 'Class Building' walking to the girls dormitories.

The dorms were really big buildings, with rooms for two people each. Every room was divided in two, a portion of the floor was a bit higher than the other, keeping them together using stairs. The students were allowed to decorate their rooms however they wanted for as long as they stayed at the academy. Isabel's side of the room was painted white and gray, her two favorite colors, she kept it as tidy as she could, being careful not to stain the walls or floor.

She let her bag fall down next to her gray desk, breathing in deeply, since she got to the academy, she had the strange feeling of being followed.

-… or maybe I'm just paranoid.- she said to the empty room. Sitting on her chair, she got her books out and started her homework while she ate her snack, a sandwich.

- Let's see what we got today… - checking her agenda, she concentrated on creating an essay about the importance of bookmen through history. A couple of hours later, gentle knocks were heard on her door. Putting her pencil down, with a confused frown, she went to answer, opening the door to reveal a tall girl with childish features, carrying a suitcase on one hand and a backpack at her shoulder.

- Sorry for interrupting you. I'm part of the new students and they assigned me to your dorm, they said you had a free bed…- she stated cheerfully. Isabel said nothing in return, letting her in and pointing to the top part of the room. – Thanks a bunch! – the girl replied.

During the next hour or so, Isabel dearly missed being alone in her room. The new girl hadn't stopped babbling about silly unimportant things, while getting settled. Isabel had decided to ignore her, in favor of her own sanity, trying to immerse herself in her books. The girl, as though noticing her incessant talking was unwelcomed, decided to remain silent, sighing and getting her own books out.

Soon enough, the sun went down, and through their window, both girls could see the shields going up once again, emiting a soft greenish light. After finishing her homework, Isabel decided to go and grab something to eat before the cafeteria closed for the day.

-Hey,- she called her roommate.- The cafeteria will be closed soon. If you're planning to eat today, I highly suggest you go get something now. – And with that, she left, no waiting for a reply, though, she could clearly hear the heavy footsteps of her roommate following her.

-Do you mind if we go together? I don't want to get lost here… - Isabel shrugged and kept walking. - So… my name's Nimah, what's yours? - The newbie asked Isabel. Sighing tiredly, Isabel answered.

- Isabel Ramirez, now please, quit talking. - she continued to walk until she reached the doors to the cafeteria, entering quickly and grabbing a plate this time, going over to one of the food tables, looking at her options. In the end she picked some salad and some orange juice, losing sight of Nimah.

As usual, the cafeteria was being used by other students to work on their assignments in groups, so it was almost full and noisy. The cafeteria was a complete separate building, in the middle of all the dorms, the walls covered in stones, giving it a castle like look, the Rose Cross emblem decorating them, on the further wall, several portraits of fallen exorcists hung. The whole place was illuminated by big silver colored chandeliers.

Isabel looked to her right, and she saw Nimah sitting with a group of people, they seemed like friends, and Isabel wondered why she, wasn't rooming with one of the girls sitting with her. The guys seemed to be telling a story, one of them making big hand gestures and pulling his golden locks of hair from time to time, much to the amusement of a dark skinned boy sitting right next to him, even though he was young, he seemed to have a lot of gray hair mixed with his dark brown curls, he must have noticed her looking their way, because suddenly he stopped talking and turned to look at her with a neutral expression, Isabel returned her attention to her meal immediately, not wanting to give them a reason to call her out.

**-Black Order**

Days turned to weeks and weeks to months, Nimah and Isabel developed a familiar routine. Nimah, Isabel noticed, was an early riser, all ready to go by the time Isabel woke up. She always greeted her with a cheerful smile and waited for her to go to the cafeteria, even if they never ate together. Isabel would wait for her the first days, to ensure she wouldn't get lost, something in which the tall girl seemed to excel at.

Soon October came, by then, at least half of the new recruits (and some of the older ones) were gone. Isabel thought Nimah would be one of the first ones to go, she didn't look like she could take on reality, always living in some beautiful place where everything was all nice with happy endings, and yet, there she was. Same babbling, cheerful girl. Isabel was often invited to eat with her and her group, but each time, she declined.

Everything seemed to be peaceful for a while, and many thought the Earl had just gotten tired or bored with them. Isabel wasn't so sure about that. She really couldn't say how, but she knew something big was about to happen. During the last week of October, she began having weird dreams where an ancient female voice kept calling her name, showing her some weir humans with evil golden eyes. At first, she thought she was just nervous about Hallow's Eve, but then, the feeling of being watched intensified.

She tried hard to ignore it, but she couldn't deny it was there. She tried keeping it concealed but it was hard, and she could almost swear her roommate knew something was wrong, she could the worry in her eyes, from time to time, masked away by her typical smile.

Isabel lost herself in preparations for the dreaded Hallow's Eve, or Halloween, as it had been know for quite some time now. It was a very dangerous day in which the shields had to be fortified if anyone even hoped to pass the night. Everyone, even the students of the academy, were summoned to help. Isabel was no different, it would be the first time she was allowed on the other side of the shield, to protect the generators.

On October 31st , Isabel was guarding said generators, even though it was still daytime, she felt a little sacared and gripped her bow thightly, weapons were made with the same technology as the shields, so , in theory, she should be able to fight an akuma, even if just to stop it from destroying the generator. It was the first time she was faced with the possibility of fighting and akuma on her own, she knew the chances were slim, but the possibility was still there.

Nimah, meanwhile, was on the other side of the shield preparing the reinforcement, and the signal, in case anything went wrong, for the first time since Isabel had known her, she wasn't smiling, in fact, she looked scared, but as soon as she noticed Isabel looking at her, she smiled at her waving happily, before returning to her duties. Isabel felt kind of bad for her and her classmates, but if she'd signed up for the training she must've known what she was getting into, and the kind of risks they were going to have.

"Please" Isabel begged, looking at the sky, "Please let us get through this unharmed…please…" Most of her generation classmates were given the same responsibility as hers. Guard the generators. Of course fully fledged finders were with them, but that didn't guarantee anything. She was a bit mad at her equals, as she saw them chatting amongst themselves, as though not completely realizing the severity of the situation…

That all changed when the sky began to fill with dark stormy clouds, and the smell of rotten flesh spread itself all along the border, making most of them gag and cover their mouths, eyes watering. Isabel was covering her nose with her hand until she remembered what she was doing there. She grabbed one of her arrows and readied her bow, waiting for the slightest provocation to shoot, she heard the finders readying their weapons as well, and dared to look at them.

All of them, regardless of their gender or age, had serious expressions, looking at the sky, expecting… ready…

"Ready for what?" she couldn't help but ask herself. "Ready to die, perhaps?" looking again at them, she wondered whether she was as ready as they were, but as the first akuma appeared at the horizon, she knew that it didn't really matter if she was ready or not.

"Because… right here, and right now… I'm going to protect my city, my family …" And with that thought in her mind, she fired her first arrow.

**-Black Order**

It was like a spell was broken, movement began outside and inside the wall, Isabel noticed, between all the mess, how most of her classmates fled from the battle, without second thoughts.

-Cowards…! – she mumbled angrily to herself, shooting at the akumas that got to close, using her arrows carefully. She really didn't want to be left defenseless during the battle, their numbers had lowered quite a bit after some of them fled the scene. Suddenly, she saw the newbies get to her side of the barrier, all of them carrying weapons, looking scared, but displaying far more courage than others, just by deciding to fight when they could hide. Isabel could easily spot Nimah with her group of friends close by, all of them fighting, dodging the poisonous akuma bullets or using the portable shields to cover themselves when they weren't fast enough.

Watching for the first time how quick and dangerous the akuma poison really was, Isabel couldn't help but think, that they were going to lose, sooner or later. This time, there were more akumas than the year before, and some of them looked like they had evolved, becoming facr more powerful and dangerous, than the level ones they were trained to destroy.

Soon, Isabel ran out of arrows, simply dodging the rain of bullets. Then, something that she had hoped never happened to her, occurred. A level two akuma turned her way, and tackled her. The demon took her bow and stepped on it until it broke, laughing all the time at her horror struck face. The akuma grabbed Isabel by the neck, lifting her from the ground, as she struggled, preparing an orb of dark energy on his other hand.

"This is it…" Isabel thought. " I'm going to die…" and, as she said those things on her mind, she realized she was crying, trying to get the akuma to drop her, desperate to escape from its claws, kicking at it as it laughed and mocked her.

She could distantly hear Nimah screaming her name, she, Isabel, expected pain, she expected black star on her pale skin, she thought she'd see her life flashing before her eyes, but instead, of all that, there was a greenish flash of light, traveling at full speed toward both her, and the akuma, coming between them and emiting a bright pulse, repelling the akuma. Falling to her knees, and coughing, she saw a small black cube, surrounded by a sphere of energy.

-It's warm.- Isabel found herself mesmerized by it, forgetting for a moment about the battle going on around her, she reached out to touch it, the akuma trying to get her, but being repelled by the strange cube. Isabel held said cube in her hand, she felt it grow and shift, becoming longer, forming an elegant black bow, with green glowing crosses on the upper and lower limbs, and a third one on a quiver that appeared to be attached. It felt light in her hands, and as she held it, she stood up, looking at the akuma, suddenly, she knew what to do. Touching the cross on the quiver, a handful of arrows appeared there, she picked one and shot at the akuma in front of her. The akuma looked at her and then at the arrow imbedded in its body with fear, before dissolving into the air.

Isabel then knew what this was, what she had become.

-That cube… that cube was innocence… and I'm… I'm an exorcist…- she said, looking at her bow and arrows, and then at the place where the akuma used to be.

**-Black Order**

****To be continued...

well that's chapter one, thanks for reading :D hope you liked it.


	2. Day of the dead

HI! :D well, thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites! Hope you like this one too!

Disclaimer: I don't own D-gray man. Only my original characters and the plot of this story :3

"Oh, dear." Nimah thought. " I really hope this is just a dream…" when she heard screaming coming from on top of her, she turned and saw a finder falling from the sky, black stars covering his body at a ridiculous speed, he crashed a few meters in front of her, and snapping out of her shock, she ran to the fallen man, only to find black dust in his place. "More like a nightmare…"

Suddenly, strange waves of energy seemed to appear out of nowhere. Nimah tried looking for the source while keeping the akuma away from the shield generators, using one of the special handguns that had been in the armory the moment of the attack. She wasn't really a good shot, but she couldn't risk hand to hand combat with the akuma, unless of course, she wanted to die.

Finally, the strange waves of energy stopped, as did Nimah , lowering her gun and watching, awestruck as her roommate, Isabel, was holding a different bow from the one she originally had, and shooting some sort of… green shiny arrows at the akuma, destroying them easily. Isabel turned one moment to look at Nimah's direction and quickly shot at her, Nimah dodged and was about to start screaming at Isabel until she saw (more like felt) an akuma explode behind her. Letting out a relieved sigh, she turned to thank the other girl, only to find her gone into battle once more.

Nimah went back to her own battle, but found that the akuma were now focusing on Isabel, singling her out, many finders were confused, usually akuma went after every single human within its sight, but right now, the appeared to be losing their interest on them. Many started cheering, thinking that maybe, this one time, luck was on their side, and akuma were actually going to retreat. Nimah knew better. She immediately scanned the group, looking for any of her friends, praying they were all okay, she soon found Caleb, a few meters away from her, and began running to him.

-Caleb! Caleb! – She called.- quick! We need to cover Isabel! – she pointed towards the girl, who was becoming surrounded by demons, unable to shoot fast enough at all of them, more preoccupied at dodging their bullets.

- Who? Little Miss "I'm-too-good-to-hang-out-with-you"? Why should we? They're already retreating! – Caleb answered, honey colored eyes looking at Nimah in confusion. He was covered in dirt, with a few bruises marking his otherwise pale skin, sweat glistening in his forehead.

- Oh, shut up with that, will you?!- Nimah said, sighing. – I'll explain later, now, get your _derrière _over here, before I drag you by your hair! – Caleb raised an eyebrow at her, before following. They'd known each other for years, since probably, elementary school, so he knew she wouldn't be telling him to risk his life for nothing. He trusted her as much as she trusted him.

Both friends struggled to make their way to Isabel, shooting at the akuma with their handguns, Caleb was an excellent shot, never missing his target. Together they managed to get to Isabel, covering her back and distracting the akuma, so that she could get a clear shot. It was difficult, they were surrounded and really didn't have that much space to maneuver and dodge the bullets, but they managed to stay out of each other's way. The older finders began turning around and realizing what was really causing the akuma to disappear, and soon, followed their lead, helping keep the akuma busy and way from the only exorcist among them.

Isabel seemed a bit relieved when she saw Nimah and Caleb, but she kept the look of concentration on her face, aiming at the akuma, trying to take them down as fast as she could, fearing for the lives of those who had come to her aid. All of them kept up the fight until akuma finally started to retreat, Isabel didn't stop shooting until she saw them disappear into the clouds, she felt exhausted, every single part of her body hurt and she could feel the beginning of a headache. The finders were silent, staring at Isabel and at the bow she clutched in her hands, the arrows disappearing, as soon as the danger had passed. The young exorcist felt her knees tremble and she began falling, her vision going dark as she expected to feel the hard ground at any time, but she never did, instead she felt two pairs of arms gently lowering her to the ground. Making a colossal effort, Isabel opened her eyes again, only to find herself staring at Nimah's concerned face, and then she knew no more.

* * *

The next time Isabel opened her eyes, she was lying on an uncomfortable bed, she rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly, noticing she was at the academy's infirmary. She was completely alone, so she didn't think twice before getting out of bed, turning around she found the strange bow … her innocence bow, resting against the wall. She picked it up and stood up shakily, walking to the doors and getting out into the hallway of the main building. Everyone was busy, running around form one place to the other, talking via golem or reading some of the reports from the battle, so no one really paid attention to Isabel even as she was leaving. Once she was outside, it wasn't as easy.

-Isabel! What are you doing out of bed?! – Nimah approached her, alone for a change – You need to rest! You fainted! … You… You're an exorcist! – she finished, trying to sort through her own thoughts while talking to Isabel.

- I've rested enough. What's going on now? Why is everyone in there so… ?- Isabel began questioning Nimah, who seemed to be a little too willing to talk.

-So active? Well… because of that. –She pointed at Isabel's bow.- First exorcist in centuries, Isabel! That's kind of a big deal! How did you even manage to activate? – a crowd seemed to be formed around them, and suddenly, people were trying to talk to her, asking questions to which she didn't have answers, separating her from her roommate. Isabel felt overwhelmed, trying to make sense of the questions aimed at her, she was rescued, though, by one of her teachers, Miss Victoria, a short yet imposing woman, with curly hair and tanned skin, pushing her way to her and pulling her out of the little mob of fans, taking her back to the main building without saying a word. However, she wasn't taken to the infirmary, as she originally thought, she was taken to the principal's office.

- Excuse me… Miss? Am I.. am I in trouble?- Isabel spoke softly and nervously, not knowing why she was being taken there, for the first time since she began studying there.

- Trouble? No, no,no, dear child. – Miss Victoria laughed a little.- You've been summoned by the boss, that's all. – She replied.- Don't be nervous. What you did … what you can do… is something very good, Miss Ramirez. Something that, as you must know, we've all been waiting for a long time.

And with that, the teacher opened the wooden door leading to the principal's office, revealing the dark room behind it. Decorated to make it look like a castle, the walls were covered with stone, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, with fake candles lighting the place, portraits of exorcists in golden uniforms decorated the side walls of the office and several bookcases were on the walls closer to her, the one thing that didn't seemed to fit, was a lone painting of a clown right behind the principal's desk. Taking one deep breath, she fully stepped inside, the principal had his back to her and didn't speak, he seemed to be deep in thought, looking at the painting for a few minutes, before shaking his head, turning to look at Isabel, light brown eyes meeting Isabel's own green ones before she felt the need to look at the floor.

-No need to be so nervous, Miss Ramirez. – The principal chuckled. – You're merely here to discuss yesterday's events and your future in this academy. – he signaled one of the cushioned wooden chairs in front of his desk before sitting down himself, smiling cheerfully, trying to put her at ease as she was asked to retell the whole story, with detail.

- … and then… well, this black cube… innocence, came out of nowhere… and well, it made the akuma drop me, I guess. I just… I just knew what I needed to do… I knew what it wanted me to do. I'm sorry Mister Walker… I really can't tell you anything else… I don't know…- Isabel tried to explain herself, failing for the first time. Principal Walker had been quiet the whole time, simply listening to what his student had to say, and now, he seemed to be lost in thought once again, before simply nodding.

-That's okay, Miss Ramirez. I guess it must be a bit… strange, dealing with something like this. But, rest assured, apart from some special classes we're going to require you to take, you may continue with your education here.- he stated, Isabel frowned and remembered reading about how exorcists used to be sent to missions, sometimes even on their own, to destroy akuma and find innocence. "Then why are they not…" she began the question in her mind, but interrupted it as principal Walker started talking again. – You won't be going on missions… simply because right now, it would be like sending you to an early death. You still have a lot to learn, Miss Ramirez, and contrary to those times – he gestured to the exorcist portraits in his office- there's no one capable of teaching you… or helping you in some of the most important areas. We'll do what we can, with what we've got. And one day you'll be ready to try going on a 'mission'. But right now, your only worry… is to learn how to use that power that's been given to you. – he stared at her, with a serious expression, and she found herself speechless. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Isabel was dismissed and she tried getting to her dorm without being noticed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Nimah and her friends were on the border of the city, looking for any kind of damage done to the shield generators. Caleb typing at an incredible speed on the controlers while Robert, a tall and skinny boy was playing around, hanging himself from anything that seemed able to support his weight, his current 'toy' being a tree branch. He was very agile and seemed to be able to sleep anywhere. Once during the first exam week, Caleb had to carry him on his back when they saw him lying on the hallway, curled up, using his bag as a pillow, a can of coffee in his hand. They'd laughed and took pictures before waking him up and making him go to a proper bed.

-Well, all seems to be clear. No damage whatsoever, and the upgrade's still running smoothly on this one. – Caleb stated. Robert turned to look at him lazily, without getting down from his tree branch.

- Remind me again how you know that? We haven't even finished the first year at the academy and I don't remember any class about shield generators. – Robert asked, straightening himself with ease.

- My dad's part of the scientific division. He helped develop some of this shields and most of our weapons. He tends to talk a lot about them when he's at home and I usually sneak around his office and read what I can find. – Caleb answered, dusting himself up. – Shall we go to the next one?

- Yup, that's a good idea. – Nimah answered, she was checking out the perimeter, making sure no akuma were close. All of them were out of their uniforms, but still carried a Rose Cross badge, and their student ID's in case they needed them. As they began walking to the next generator, Nimah saw something strange on the other side of the shield, it was a young girl, who couldn't be older than twelve, staring at the clouds, clutching a weird ragdoll, she was wearing a worn down white dress, going barefoot. – Hey! – Nimah called the young girl, who turned to look at her, eyes strangely unfocused. – What are you doing out there? Come here!- She began walking towards the younger girl, stopping right before the shield, deciding if she should cross over to get the kid or wait for her to come on her own, Nimah decided on the former, approaching the girl cautiously.

- He's coming back.- the girl said as soon as Nimah was within her reach. – He's coming back… for all of us. Right? – Tearful dark eyes looked at Nimah, who thought the girl must've lost her dad during the attack. She really hoped she was mistaken.

-I don't know, sweetie… - Nimah turned to look at Caleb, who seemed uncomfortable, and then to Robert, who decided to approach them, smiling cheerfully, trying not to scare the little gir.

- Why don't you come with us? I'm sure your dad will find you there… come on…- he tended his hand to her, waiting patiently, but she only clutched her doll closer to her, taking a step back, Robert took back his hand, his smile dropping a little.

- What's your name, darling?- Nimah asked, crouching to be at the little girl's level, speaking softly to her.

- I… I can't remember… I… don't know. I don't know. – The little girl began crying. Nimah bit her lip and did the only thing she could think of. She embraced the girl, rubbing her back, whispering soothing words, trying to calm her down a little bit. A minutes passed before the girl managed to calm down, at least enough for them to go back to the academy. Nimah stood up and offered her hand to the girl, waiting for her to grab it. The kid looked at her and then at her doll, before accepting the hand and walking with them, sniffing every now and then. After getting on the safe side of the barrier once more, Caleb awkwardly avoided looking at the girl, focusing on leading the way back to their academy, he was never good with children, not even his own sister, so he decided to stay out of it.

The walk back was slow and silent, getting to the main building much later than anticipated. The girl seemed reluctant to let go of Nimah's hand once they were there, but she gave in on the condition that Nimah was to take her doll with her. Caleb and Robert seemed confused by the strange request but said nothing, Caleb chuckling when he saw Nimah making her way to the principal's office, doll in hand. Knocking twice on the wooden door, the entered the office, standing with their backs straight and giving a full report to mister Walker, explaining about the girl they'd found outside.

-A girl? Outside the barriers? – Principal Walker repeated, brows furrowed in confusion. – Did you bring her with you? – he asked the teenagers.

- Yes, sir. We couldn't just leave her there… the akuma could've come back and attacked her! – Robert spoke, thinking they were in trouble. The principal sighed and rubbed his face with his gloved hands before addressing them yet again.

- Okay. I understand. Can you please bring her here? – He asked. Nimah nodded and went to get the girl, only to find her gone, she began looking for her, asking around, but no one seemed to know what she was talking about, returning to the principal's office, in panic, she explained the situation the the other three.

- She's not here! She left! I don't know where…!- She told them, Caleb and Robert looked at each other and then at principal Walker, the young adult stood up and began pacing behind his desk.

- Go to your dorms, you three. I'll send some people to look for her.- He ordered, grabbing the phone at his desk, and dialing the supervisor. Nimah and her friends walked out, worried for the young girl, and looking at the strange rag doll she carried around.

* * *

Back at the dorms, Isabel was lying down on her bed, thinking about everything that'd happened during those two days, wondering what kind of changes that was going to bring to her life. She began wondering whether she should call her parents or not, none of them were too fond of her becoming a finder, risking her life at a war they considered lost… "How are they going to take this…? Me becoming an exorcist?" she wondered. Looking at her cellphone for the first time that day she noticed a message from her mother.

_Hi, Bel._

_How've you been? I hope you're eating well._

_I heard the big new today. There's an exorcist at your school?_

_Who is it? Do you know him (or her)?_

_I guess now you can consider leaving that school, right?_

_The exorcists are coming back… which means you might not need to fight…_

_Well… I'll wait for your answer. Hope you're okay._

_Write soon, yes? _

_Love, Mom._

"The news travel fast…" Isabel thought. She felt a bit bad for her mother, not knowing that said exorcist was her own daughter. She was startled out of her thoughts by her roommate opening the door, still dressed in her uniform, cream colored jacket stained by dirt, clutching a creepy doll in one hand.

-Hey there, Isabel. – Nimah smiled at her, waving her free hand and climbing the stairs, getting to her side of the room, leaving the doll carefully on her bed before getting some clothes out, obviously going to the showers, getting ready to turn in for the night. She didn't talk much this time, mainly mumbling to herself. –Well… I'll be back. Were you able to get dinner or did your new friends stop you? – she asked, laughter clear in her voice. Isabel groaned. Everyone in the academy seemed to get the idea that she was now their greatest friend. Even the ones that ran away during the fight, approached her, claiming they'd been there to help her.

- Don't even mention it. – Isabel said with a sigh. She had to admit, she was hungry, but didn't really want to risk going to the cafeteria, where she was sure to be spotted by the students. "Most of them are sure to be counting on it…" she thought glumly.

- Hey! Not to worry. I'll bring you something. Just wait, okay? – Still smiling, Nimah got out again, taking everything she needed on a blue bag. Isabel sighed "maybe I should thank her… when she gets back. Yeah. That. " She thought. Her roommate wasn't really as annoying as her new 'fanclub' at least she knew when she wanted to be left alone and when she should just stay silent. Out of all the people she'd come to know at the academy, Nimah had been the only one to attempt to hold a conversation with her more than once, even after a few rude answers on her part.

* * *

Nimah stayed true to her word, bringing Isabel some food form the cafeteria. Isabel thanked her before digging in. Nimah just smiled and went up to her side again. Looking at the doll for a bit before settling down in her bed, grabbing her cellphone, and sending a quick text to her dad, telling him she was alright, and that she'd be sure to visit soon. Her mom and dad had been part of the scientific branch, working with Caleb's own dad, until one day, three years back, there had been an attack on their office. Her mom had died due to akuma poison, her dad had only been saved because he'd been on duty alongside Caleb's, replacing one of the shield generators. It's been hard on both, her and her dad. They had to make lots of changes, and he'd mainly work from his own computer, developing new software for the generators and weapons. He'd been worried about her when she stated she wanted to be a finder, and even tried talking her out of it, but in the end, he supported her, as she knew he would.

Thinking about him, she went to sleep, giving her cellphone on last look. In her dreams, she could have sworn she heard a creepy tune, playing again and again, along with a song she'd never heard before in a language she didn't know. She could see strange things, shadow like figures fighting each other, it was weird… and disturbing, especially since the music never stopped.

The next day, she woke up, her forehead covered in cold sweat, she looked at her phone, hoping for an answer from her dad, and as usual, she wasn't disappointed.

_Hey there, pipsqueak. _

_Good to know you're being safe, congratulate _

_Your friend on my behalf. I might not be able to_

_Send you a message tomorrow, going to check_

_The rest of the generators, be sure to visit your mom, _

_Love you, kiddo, see you soon. _

She smiled a bit sadly at the reminder of her mother. It was November 2nd , 'Day of the Dead' and it was tradition to visit the graves of your loved ones. She got up, as usual, Isabel was still asleep, so she grabbed her clothes and went to get ready for the day. There'd be no classes for the day. That much was sure. Everyone was mourning the victims of Halloween attack. She went to pick some flowers and then went to cross the city, looking for the graveyard, it was quiet, as usual. Only some people cleaning the tombstones and decorating them with food and flowers. She stood before her mother's last resting place, she left some white flowers and took out a few sugar skulls, carefully placing them there.

-Hi mom. – she began- I know I haven't been visiting often… and I'm sorry. I just got busy with school and well, everything. But… no matter. I'm here. Dad won't be able to come, you know, work to do, things to repair and update. – she smiled, and talked to her about everything that had happened to her since the beginning of school year. She stayed there until two o'clock before saying her goodbyes. By then most tombs had been cleaned and decorated, the gloomy graveyard looked beautiful, as every year. Walking back to school she decided to stop by her house. Just for a little while, no one was expecting her back until sundown, so she still had time. Her house was small, the outside walls painted with a white color, while the inside were painted a baby blue color. It was home to her and to her dad. But, as she got closer to her home, she noticed something was wrong, it was way to quiet and she noticed rubble

Nimah began running, her mind running to several different scenarios, and, the closer she got, the faster she ran, some houses were partially destroyed, small bunches of black dust were being blown away by the wind. Nimah could feel her eyes watering, screaming for her dad, calling him on the cellphone, only to be redirected to the voicemail _– Hey there! You're calling the incredible and amazing ME! So, for some reason, I can't answer, leave your message and name, I'll call you when I'm done! Remember to smile!_ – and over. She kept calling until she got to her own house, the one closer to the shield generator, the front door had been blown away, she fell to her knees, dropping her cellphone, voicemail still going as she saw a single golden necklace visible in the pile of black dust…

* * *

And, until next time :D hoped you enjoyed it. Thanks again for the reviews, follows and favorites!

See you soon:

Edelyne Elric


	3. Deal?

Hello! Sorry for the delay, I just couldn't make it sound right! But yeah… here it is! One more chapter. Hope you enjoy it :D

Disclaimer: I don't own D gray man, just some characters and the plot :3

"_This pieces of past conversations"_

_These are text messages_

_~This is singing~_

In case it was confusing :3

* * *

"_If I died… would you call me back…?"_

Nimah crawled closer to the pile of ashes that was once her father, her vision blurred by tears that refused to fall, mouth open, trying to get the air she sorely needed. Reaching the small pile, she grabbed the golden necklace that used to hang from her father's neck, staring at the oval shaped pendant, Rose Cross engraved on the front, if only for show.

"_Why aren't they allowed to grieve in peace…?"_

Holding it close to her chest, Nimah looked in every direction, everything seemed to be happening in a dream, she didn't really feel like thinking, laying her head on the pile of ashes, silent tears slowly falling from her eyes, she didn't even check for any remaining akuma of survivors, she didn't call the academy, or the finders, she just laid there, unmoving.

"_Don't resent the akuma, kiddo… "_

Maybe if she closed her eyes and concentrated really hard, she could wake up from this horrible nightmare, she would wake up and jump on her dad, distracting him from his work. They could both be having a happy banter, a pillow fight. They would both eat candies and share stories about happier times. "But it won't happen" a nasty voice spoke in her head, "You'll open your eyes and your father will be gone, just like your mother." She clutched the necklace tighter, hearing the faint sound of footsteps coming closer. Light, constant.

"_Never fight them for revenge. They're victims too."_

-He fought bravely, you know. – the little girl from before was there, staring blankly at Nimah, who didn't give any signs of hearing her – He protected the others as much as he could. – a smile crept to her face, not sweet, not sad… just empty. – It was sad. – she crouched near Nimah- Do you want him back? – she asked, touching the older girl's head with one of her pale hands- Do you wish to see him alive again? To speak to him once more? – she kept talking, playing with the long black strands of hair.

"_They will use your grief. But you know better. "_

-Well, it seems you aren't ready to be helped… pity really – The little girl said, coldness seeping into her voice- Worry not, I'll come back, when you're ready… see you- Leaving Nimah to her grief, the young girl turned around, humming a grim tune, similar to that of Nimah's nightmares.

"_One day, you'll see what I can see… the tragedy behind the akuma."_

* * *

Isabel surprised to hear about an akuma attack inside the shield. "How did they even get in?" she asked herself, they were taking her in case any akuma remained when they went there to check the damage. She wasn't nervous, after all, she had experienced finders with her, in case something really did go wrong. She looked out the window of the Order's van, looking for Nimah, she'd heard her say something about visiting the graveyard early in the morning and she had yet to return when Isabel had been called. It was a little worrying, but she assumed the girl must have taken the opportunity to visit her father. The graveyard and her house were on the north side of the area, not so far away from each other, Isabel remembered. "Or she could be with her friends." Although that was less likely, she'd seen them in the cafeteria, but Nimah wasn't there.

"Just how far did she say she lived…?" Isabel tried remembering. Nimah had once told her about her house, but Isabel hadn't been paying close attention, choosing to merely nod at her friend when she deemed it necessary. She was getting a little worried, she had to admit. Maybe it was a bad idea for Nimah to go alone to some place that close to the barriers, even if it was to visit the graveyard. "She knows how to take care of herself. She's not stupid." She thought. Of course, if Nimah encountered akuma she wouldn't be foolish enough to try to fight them on her own. However, the closer they got to the north side of the town, she began to wonder. There were clear signs of resistance, not enough to signal a battle as big as the one on Halloween, but much smaller, maybe just someone trying to play hero and protect the others. When they reached the northern side of the shield, Isabel watched with sad eyes the small piles of black dust, knowing that they once were humans. The van stopped and she got out carefully, looking around along with the other finders. There were some partially destroyed houses and some of the trees there now had dark stars imprinted on them, the place was silent, which unnerved Isabel.

She kept walking but stopped when she almost tripped over something lying on the floor. A cellphone, a very familiar cellphone. Picking it up, Isabel recognized it to be Nimah's, with wide eyes, she spoke to the other finders.

-There's someone here! – she said- one of my classmates! – she began running looking for the girl, their agitated breaths the only noise that could be heard, until she found her. She was just lying there, on the floor, knees drawn to her chest, head near one of the piles of dust. Isabel ran to her, crouching and checking her, forcing her to sit up, and trying to look into her face. - Hey! What's wrong? Are you hurt? What happened? – Nimah turned her dark gray eyes toward Isabel's own blue ones, filled with tears before she opened her mouth for a moment, as if to speak. No sound came out, and Nimah closed her mouth again, turning to look at the pile of dust, showing Isabel the oval shaped pendant, two tears falling from her eyes as soon as she blinked. The finders were making calls and asking both girls similar questions, but Nimah only nodded or shook her head, clutching the necklace into one of her hands. Isabel looked down to the cellphone still in her possession before putting it close to her ear.

– _Hey there! You're calling the incredible and amazing ME! So, for some reason, I can't answer, leave your message and name, I'll call you when I'm done! Remember to smile!_ – A voice mail, recorded with a male's voice, a cheerful adult male. Nimah's father. Isabel ended the call and approached Nimah, giving her the cellphone back. Not really knowing what to say, she patted her back and retreated, inspecting the rest of the houses, looking for anyone else that might have survived.

Isabel walked through the nearby streets, trying to ignore the sad feelings she got as she saw more and more piles, like the one Nimah had lied on. There was nothing she could do at the moment. "Not until we figure out how that akuma came in." she thought. "Or where he's hiding." They remained on the scene until night fall, then, they went back to the academy. Isabel noticed the change immediately, instead of the deathly silent environment, she was faced lively noises and laughs, they had yet to know of the akuma, so they could keep smiling and joking without a care. Taking comfort in the calm before the storm.

Entering her room, Isabel noticed Nimah was already asleep, her back to her. Being careful about the amount of noise she made, she got her things ready to prepare for bed.

"_You're throwing away your life!"_

After her shower, she began brushing her medium length hair, trying to get all the possible tangles out before getting it into a lose ponytail. She sighed and looked in the mirror at herself. The world being as it was, she knew death was just around the corner. She'd seen it, and the effects it could have on the people around them. That's why they usually stayed with them during the first months, to avoid any more tragedies. But with recent events, Isabel began to wonder if her family was truly safe. True, they didn't live that close to the border, but what if the akuma got to them? "Can I really protect them… if the time comes?" she unconsciously reached for her bow before remembering that she left it back in her room.

"_Come on, surely you can find something else to do?... a nurse? ….an architect?"_

"What if… if one day… they just tell me they're dead?" a familiar stinging in her eyes came, she took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She took out her phone and looked at it for a long time, going to her messages, bringing up the most recent one.

_There's and exorcist at your school?_

_Do you know him (or her)?_

_You can consider leaving the school, right?_

Did her mother really believe that? Did she think she was going to abandon school? When she signed in, she didn't do it just because she thought they needed more help, she did it because it was the right thing in her mind. And she was good at it, now that she was an exorcist, she knew that it was the right decision. Had she not done it… where would she be? Probably dead, or hiding in fear of being the next one. Of her family being next. Putting away her cellphone, Isabel took one last look at herself before going back to her dorm, expecting to find Nimah still sleeping, she was startled when she saw her sitting up in her bed, clutching the creepy doll she'd brought in the previous day, a dazed look in her face. Without thinking much of it, she let her be, assuming she wasn't in a talkative mood. "Who could be…?" sighing with tiredness, she whispered a goodnight and tucked herself into the bed, frowning when she heard Nimah humming some strange tune. Isabel turned around to look at her, Nimah was still in the same position, though, her shoulders were shaking a bit, biting her lip, Isabel said nothing, thinking that maybe that tune had some special meaning to her, taking her pillow and using it to block out the sound, she prepared herself to sleep.

* * *

Nimah's strange behavior continued, she stayed in the room, as far as Isabel knew. Some of her friends often visited and talked to her, it was a little strange for Isabel, to say the least. They all attended the service for all of the finders lost during Halloween, Nimah's father, who Isabe now knew, was called Ikan, was included. Only family and friends of the deceased were allowed to enter, Isabel had gone there partially because of her orders, and partially, because she wanted to show her new friend some form of support.

_-We can't allow another akuma in, Isabel. And times like this are the Earl's favorite.-_ Principal Walker had told her soon after their return. She obviously couldn't really watch over everyone, but she could help keeping watch over her friend. Just in case. Isabel didn't really think Nimah would fall for the Earl's tactics, but no one could be completely sure. Was brought back to reality as she saw a little boy approaching one of the pictures of the fallen finders, a white flower in his tiny hand, tears streaming down his face, she swallowed, and looked away. It was one thing to see and adult go through it, but a kid?

After everyone managed to say their final goodbyes, the families were escorted back to their homes, Nimah remained still, watching her father's picture. They were very similar. Both had dark skin and kind gray eyes, Isabel thought back to her own father, feeling a little stab of pain. The last time she'd spoken to him, they had a fight, not a bad one, but still… enough for the tension to be there. She didn't want to talk to him, not yet. But she felt the need to reconcile. She was an exorcist now, people expected her to fight in the front lines, it was humanity's opportunity to strike back… she could very well die soon. And she really didn't want to leave on bad terms with him. With that thought in mind, and seeing Nimah with her friends, she decided to visit her family before anything else happened.

Isabel made sure to tell the principal where she was going, and he nodded in understanding, she suspected more than one had come to ask permission to go visit their families, he merely gave her a golem and sent her on her way, warning her to be cautious. Isabel walked the familiar streets that would take her home, carrying her bow with her, it was quite a walk, but that would give her time to think about what she wanted to do once she got there. "Do I apologize? For what? I did what I thought was right… I followed their advice _'go where your heart takes you' _ so… how do I tell them I'm the exorcist…?" She sighed, looking up to the sunny sky, wind blowing her light brown locks away from her face.

-Maybe I'm not ready to tell them…- "If I don't do it know I might never… they'll find out from someone else… and that won't help at all" She kept walking, the streets were as busy as ever, even with the threat of the akuma among them, the citizens weren't going to stop their lives, they'd survived centuries this way, there was no reason to panic in their minds. Though, Isabel often wondered, if they had ever seen a real akuma as close as she had. She looked around, realizing just how much she really missed just walking on the street… with no evident threats. "Such a fantasy… a fairytale in a nightmarish world." Finally, she found her house she smiled, running the last part of the way. She stopped when in front of the white wooden door, taking a couple of deep breaths, before she managed to gather up the courage to knock the door, she heard a faint tune coming from her left, she stopped and listened it was constant and eerie, most people in the streets probably dismissed it as something coming from one of the stores or a few kids playing with some instrument, but Isabel was very curious now, for it sounded strangely familiar. Something she'd been hearing during the last days quite a lot. With one look of regret towards her door, she began following the tune discretely, though most people turned to look at her because of her bow, not knowing what it really was.

After a while, she noticed where she was headed. Isabel was going directly to the graveyard. "Who could possibly be playing such a tune in a resting place?" she asked herself. She had a very bad feeling forming in the back of her mind, screaming pleading for her to go back and get someone else. "But they won't be able to help" she thought. "I can. I will." She assured herself preparing her bow as she entered the graveyard. She could immediately feel the temperature drop, and the wind ceasing to blow. Isabel tightened her grip on the bow and continued her advance, looking at the sky, she could see clouds moving quickly to cover the sun, thunder sounding and lightning coming soon as well. Isabel now knew something very bad was about to happen, she looked at the golem and ordered it to contact Principal Walker, and inform him of the situation before she continued, the weird tune becoming stronger, and along with it, Isabel could have sworn she heard a little girl's voice singing with it.

_~Earl of Millenium is back now_

_Along with the exorcists, we are coming back_

_Who will win this war?_

_Why don't we find out…?~_

Isabel shivered. The lyrics felt like a threat. "No… not a threat… a warning." And then Isabel saw something that made her freeze in her spot, dropping her bow. She had seen pictures, heard the stories, the rumors, the leyends that described the Earl of Millenium, yet none of that seemed to matter in that moment. The monster was huge, bigger than herself, wearing a ridiculous white and pink coat, with a big creepy smile, showing some fangs, his skin was a light purple color, yellow eyes never straying from a figure kneeling at his feet, the ever present top hat hiding the rest of his head from view.

-Good Evening, girl- He said, though, Isabel wasn't sure who he was talking to, "Has he noticed me?" fear flooded her at the thought. If not even the generals were able to take down this creature of darkness… what chance did she really have? – I was called here… by you, my lady… - he kept talking, in a surprisingly playful and sweet voice, which only served to frighten Isabel more. The girl at his feet seemed to be in Isabel's same situation, for she began scooting back, letting her long black hair touch the ground, not daring to look away from the monster standing right in front of her. The Earl on his part, just kept looking at her- Is there someone you want me to bring back?- he asked, and then Isabel understood. There was nothing wrong with their shields, they did their job. Kept the already existing akuma from attacking the people. But they could never keep Noahs or the Earl from entering the city. And with the loss there had already been… it was only a matter of time before the Earl was finally lured out by someone's pain. Isabel was startled when she saw a metal skeleton appear to the left side of the Earl, the black star already visible on its forhead. "Is that girl really stupid enough to accept the bargain?" Isabel couldn't allow that, picking up her bow and silently activating it.

- Now, now, Isabel, darling, don't be so impatient.- the Earl turned to look at her at the same time the girl did, and, as they had done in the past, blue and gray met for a brief moment before Isabel was forced to dodge the bullet of the akuma that had started everything. "Okay, okay… get her away from here, then, kicking some sense into her. If we live that long" she thought.

Nimah stared at her roommate for a moment before turning around to see the Earl, _the Earl_ the one that plagued their nightmares, the one that created akuma.

"_Don't trust your eyes, for they can deceive you"_

Nimah looked at the metallic skeleton placed in front of her, she wanted her dad. She really, really did. She wanted to talk to him once more, to see his face. To hear his laugh. To hug him… just once more.

"_Death is a part of life… one that we must accept"_

But, was this really the way to go? Wasn't she supposed to fight this kind of things? Her dad wouldn't do it. Her mom wouldn't have done it. Both were brave. Both had known loss. But they had never turned to the _Earl_ of all things. "What was I thinking…?!" She grabbed at her hair with one hand, the other still clutching her father's necklace, then she looked at her friend, dodging the vicious attacks of the akuma, noticing how more were beginning to arrive. Nimah was startled, how did all of those get in? when? And… Why wasn't the Earl attacking? She was completely defenseless, she left her handgun at the dorm, it never passed her mind she could need it. So why…?

"_Calling the Earl… is like signing your own death sentence"_

"Because he thinks I'm going to call him" that was the only possible explanation. Nimah began shaking her head, then the tried to make a run for it, only to be stopped by a hand in her shoulder. Without much thinking, she threw a punch to her attacker, and to her horror, it connected with the Earl's face, making him turn his face a fraction, before an arrow embedded itself in his hand. Both the Earl and Nimah turned to look at Isabel, but she was already fighting the other akuma.

"_Learn to let go even the things you hold closest to your heart"_

-Come on, dear child, just call your daddy, I'll bring him back for you…- the Earl spoke to Nimah once more, but the kindness was gone, replaced by something close to anger. She looked from the skeleton, to the Earl to the necklace, determination settling in her eyes, she turned and looked at the Earl's eyes. Cold. Dead. Evil.

"_Making deals with the Earl? That only brings pain, kiddo."_

- And make him your mindless puppet? I don't think so! – She punched him again, this time with the hand holding the necklace, which began warming up and giving a soft blue light. Nimah didn't notice though, and once the Earl, out of surprise (for it was impossible to consider pain as the reason) let go of Nimah's shoulder, she made a run for her friend, Isabel. The Earl let out a laugh, disappearing the skeleton and taking out a pink umbrella, opening it and disappearing into the clouds, leaving both girls to defend themselves from the horde of akuma.

- So, decided to strike a deal with the enemy? – Isabel said, panting a little, still not used to the energy loss needed to activate her innocence. She sounded a _little _mad. "Who wouldn't?" Nimah thought, dodging the bullets, feeling useless. – What the hell are you still doing here? Go! Go! They aren't going after you! They're drawn to innocence! – Isabel yelled at her.

Nimah seriously considered following her orders, without a weapon, she was only a burden to the exorcist girl. A weak spot. But then she recalled something her father told her a long time ago.

_-There are always ways to help, Nimah, even if we don't like them._ –

_-What if there really isn't a way, dad? I mean…-_

_-Then you make one. You're smart enough. –_

And so, she did. Using one of the trees nearby, she climbed and then jumped on top of an akuma, grabbing on and then making sure some others saw her. When the others started shooting at it, she jumped to another. Isabel heard the explosions and saw Nimah jumping from one akuma to the other. "She's nuts…" she thought " She's crazy… she's drugged!" she kept repeating those things in her mind while shooting the other akuma, neither girl noticed that the necklace's light was getting stronger, and before long, the golden color began turning to black, Nimah, distracted by the sudden change, fell from the akuma, the small group she was dealing with, seemed perfectly fine with forming a circle around her, their cannons ready to shoot, with little to no chance of missing the target.

Isabel screamed Nimah's name when she saw the akumas shoot at her, finishing with her last akuma, she ran to them, determined on avenging the foolish girl, when she saw Nimah standing right there, twirling a black long chain in her right hand, holding the other side of it in her left one, the right side, ended with a sickle, sharp looking, with a blue glowing cross imbedded on it. Nimah, very much like herself, seemed to know what to do by instinct. Performing a series of movements, the younger girl sent the sickle straight for the akuma, finishing them off one by one. By the time the finders arrived, both girls were sitting back to back, weapons clutched tightly in their hands, one lost in thought, the other, looking at the sky, smiling for the first time in the week.

* * *

So, hope you liked it! See you soon! :D


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